Truss



March 13, 1934. M, s-l-EAN 1,951,069

muss

Filed Feb. 28, 1931 gmntoz I Mxfdia van atented Mar. 13, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 1 Claim.

This invention relates to improvements in trusses and comprises a novel truss pad formed of a. metallic supporting plate having secured thereto a flexible fabric member for supporting the padded truss device whereby removal of the flexible support and pad may be effected for replacing the same after the same has become worn. The invention also comprises a T-shaped member adapted to be carried by the metal base member for connecting the free ends of the waistline straps. The truss pad is adapted to be further supported by additional waistline straps detachably connected to the metal base member and the detachable connectors form a salient feature of this invention.

The primary object of this invention is to provide a device of the above mentioned character adapted to perform the functions of a supporter or truss well known in the art.

A further object of this invention, is to provide a device of the above mentioned character in which the pad may be removed and replaced by a new or differently shaped pad to conform with the requirements in connection with devices of this character.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent, during the course of the following description, forming a part of this specification and in which,

Figure l is a rear elevation of the device illustrating the T-shaped connector and the metal base connecting the waistline and the supporting strap;

Figure 2 is a front elevation of the device illustrating the arrangement of the pad and the flexible fabric member carried by the metallic base plate; and

Figure 3 is a vertical cross-sectional view taken on line 33 of Figure 2, illustrating in detail 40.? the construction and arrangement of the associated parts.

In the drawing, wherein for the purpose of illustrating the invention and wherein like reference characters will be employed to designate like parts throughout the same, the reference character 5 will generally be employed to designate an arcuately curved base plate formed of metal or other rigid material having on one face thereof a flannel pad 6 of the same general configuration and secured thereto in any desired manner, such as separable fasteners or rivets. The metallic plate 5 and flannel pad 6 are of crescent shape with the concaved side edge of the plate 5 terminating inwardly of the adjacent concaved side edge of the flannel pad 6 so that when the truss paid is in service, the body of the wearer that naturally bulges adjacent the concaved side of the truss will contact the adjacent edge of the flannel pad and be spaced from the concaved edge of the metal- 603 he plate 5. A pad 7 is stitched or otherwise secured to the flexible fabric member 6 as at 8 and it will be noted that the member 7 is of a crescent shape and is formed in two sections, namely '7 and 9 stitched together as at 10.

Soft cotton or other padding material 11 may be interposed between the flexible fabric member 6 and the members '7 and 9 as clearly illustrated in Figure 3 for lending the sufiicient contours to the pad 7 adapted to be presented to the necessary portionof the human anatomy.

On the rear face of the base metal member 5 is provided a T-shaped member 12 adapted to be secured into position by means of rivets 13 passing through the T-shaped member 12 and through the metal base member 5. The metal T-shaped member 12 is provided with horizontal arms 14 and a downwardly extending arm 15 and on the outer extremities of the arms 14 and 15 are provided lugs 16 adapted to be re- 80. ceived in T-shaped slots 17 formed in the connectors 18. The waistline straps 19 pass through transverse slots 20 in the connectors 18 whereby the straps 19 may be adjusted to the required position. The horizontal legs 14 of the T-shaped member 12 extend over the complete length of the metal base member 5 while the opposite ends of the vertical leg 15 including the central portion of the head of the T-shaped member are flushed with opposite 90. side edges of the base member 5, this arrangement providing a reinforcement for the base member and pad.

Similarly attached to the base plate are lugs 21 at the tapered end of the crescent-shaped plate and the lugs 21 are adapted to be received in T-shaped slots 22 similar to the slots 1'? in connecting clips 23. The connecting clips 23 are also provided with transverse slots 24 for receiving additional waistline straps 25 for 00 further supporting the truss pad 7 and holding the same in its vertically adjusted position.

It is to be understood that the flexible pad member 6 may be secured to the metal base member 5 in any desired manner and that the 95 pad '7 may be carried by the flexible pad member 6 in such a manner as to allow the correct positioning of the pad relative thereto.

It is also to be understood that the form of the invention herewith shown and described is to be taken as a preferred example of the same and that various changes in the shape, size and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the sub-joined claim.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is: v

A truss support comprising a crescent shaped metallic supporting plate, a flannel pad of crescent shape secured to one side of the metallic supporting plate with the concaved side edge thereof spaced otwardly of the concaved edge of the metallic supporting plate to prevent contact of the body of the wearer with the supporting plate when in service, a bulbous pad secured to the flannel pad, a reinforcing and strap engaging T-shaped metallic plate secured to the metallic supporting plate'with the legs forming the head of the T-plate extending Iongitudinally of the supporting plate and terminating in proximity of the ends of the supporting plate adjacent the convexed side edge thereof, the upper end of the T-shaped plate being in the plane of the upper concaved side of the supporting plate and the lower end of the vertical leg of the T-shaped plate terminating at the lower convexed side of the supporting plate, body straps detachably engaged with the ends of the metallic supporting plate adjacent the concaved side edge thereof and body straps detachably engaged with the outer ends of the horizontal and vertical legs of the T-shaped metallic plate at the convexed edges of the supporting plate.

MIKE J. STEPAN. 

